“Khanya, sikhathi sokulala” kutjho uMma.
“Awa, awa,” kuphendula uKhanya. “Angilali namhlanjesi Mma.”
Akhange kumthabise ukuzwa lokho uMma, “kubayini mntwanami? Kusebusuku begodu kusasa uya esikolweni.”
“Angifuni ukulala ngombana ngisaba amaphela,” kuphendula uKhanya.
“Awa, Khanya, awekho amaphela ekhayapha” kuphendula uMma.
“Akhona!” Kutjho Khanya. “Ngiwezwile. Begodu kungenzeka aphaphile angena efasidereni lami ebusuku.”
“Asikhambe siyowaqala ngekumbenakho,” kutjho uMma. “Ngemva kwalokho sizokuvala ifasidera lakho.”
UMma noKhanya bazuma amaphela. Baqala yoke indawo: ngaphasi kombhede, ngemva komyango, ngaphasi komada, ngaphakathi kwebhokisi lezinto zokudlala nemakhabetheni. Kuthe lokha uKhanya nasele anelisekile bona alikho nalinye iphela ekumbenakhe yokulala, uMma wamlayelisa ngokumcabuza wacima bewavala nomnyango.
Kodwana bobabili baqede isikhathi esinengi bazumana namaphela kangangobana bakhohlwa nokuvala ifasidere!
UKhanya waziphosela ngaphakathi kweduvedi yakhe, wabamba unompopanakhe wacabanga ngelanga lakhe lakusasa esikolweni. Besele azokulala ubuthongo nakezwa itjhada elingakajayeleki. KHRRRR! KHRRRR! Warhudula amehlo. Walala wangasikinyeka.
KHRRRR! KHRRRR! Kwamambala bekunetjhada elincani elizwakalako, elitswininizako elivela khona ngekumbenapha. Kodwana kuphi? Khuyini eyenza itjhadeli? Kghani liphela? UKhanya walula isandla sakhe kabuthaka wakhanyisa ilambha eliseqadi kombhedakhe.
Waqalaqala ngekumbeni. Huuu! Kwabancono, akakaboni litho ethusako. Kuthe asacabanga bona kungenzeka bekabhudanga kunetjhada, amakhetheni athoma ukusikinyeka netjhada lathoma ukukhula. KHRRRR! KHRRRR! UKhanya wathukwa kwaba makhaza emathunjini. Warhudulela ikhetheni lakhe amehlo, wabamba nomoya bona angaphefumuli.
Kusesenjalo, kwavela iphela elithusako elibrawuni linanaba ekhethenini lakhe elihle elitjheli leza, laphaphela phezu kombhedakhe. Maye mina! UKhanya wadosa iduvedakhe wagubuzela wathona ukuqhaqhazela.
